Motorcycle Seat comfort

  • October 26, 2009 7:31 AM PDT
    this is leatherhead from Woodstock Custom Leather
    i did not see any posts on rider comfort so I thought I would start one.

    a lot of people  think that the way their seat was desinged from the factory is what you get. Harley has some options but not many, their options are more about a differant look than a better feel. 
    • the first thing most people notice when they sit on their bike or furture bike is do my feet touch the ground the way I like. Some people like to just touch their toes, some balls of their feet, others the whole foot.  
    • After riding you may notice your legs or but actually gets fatigued from  riding.  This is because your seat is too wide. You may not realize it but your seat is preventing your legs from hanging naturally.
    • Lastly are you cold when riding. Obviously we all know why we are cold when we ride, but riding full throtle has nothing to do with it of course
    When it comes to your seat there are many options. Foam can be removed to lower your position on the bike so you feet touch the ground more. Your seat can also be narrwoed which also will bring your feet down too.   another awsome thing we just started doing is making heated seats, jackets and chaps.   I will also be posting a leather care to to help preserve your stuff so it does not fall apart from negelct.
  • October 26, 2009 2:29 PM PDT
    I have 3 seats for my bike. The stock seat which was not to comfortable. I had one made from Bar S that I ride with the most. For myself this is the best seat for daily use. Then I have my touring seat. My wife likes this one the best cause its more chussy for her. I like having a choice of seats.
    • 5419 posts
    October 27, 2009 3:06 AM PDT
    Really wish it was that easy for me. I went with the Harley Pillow seat on my RoadKing and the problem is the rider backrest mounts where the single passenger seat would bolt down with some additional support brackets, so it's a pain to switch. I would like to run the smaller seat when not on long rides.
  • October 27, 2009 3:38 AM PDT
    I ride with a Corbin, after I got it broke in--I can sit in it for 7 or 800 miles no pain, no wiggling around---
  • October 27, 2009 3:46 AM PDT
    I really like my corbin seat on my Road King. I'm on my 3rd Road King, just used the factory seat on the first one and corbin on both the next 2. They seem to mold to your butt.
    • 126 posts
    October 27, 2009 3:47 AM PDT
    I still have my stock seat on my volcan. For me I am lucky as it fits me. I may have it lowered a bit but I like it the way it is right now. I know a lot of riders have used Rick's custom seats here in the nortwest. I know my wife will be getting her's done there.
  • October 27, 2009 5:32 AM PDT
    i liked Corbin seats I just found they are to hard. Unless the bucket part is perfect for your butt then they are comfortable. the one down side to Corbin I have been seeing in my own shop is the start to get fat or bulge out on the sides after while. Some are a few years others are a few months.
  • November 20, 2009 3:47 PM PST
    Not much choice on my Ground Pounder. Stock or custom built. Wish Corbin built one for it with place for backrest.
    • 1040 posts
    November 22, 2009 3:57 AM PST
    My Fxr stock seat was hard and with two total hip replacements (each hip) I decided to try something else. I didn't want to go with the stock harley seat as a replacement cause a stock is what I already had. I looked at most of the aftermarkets, Corbin, Mustang, Saddleman, etc and finally decided on the Mustang Plush Pillow two up. Have had this seat on my bike for about a year now and maade a trip to South Cackalacky back in June. Great comfort over the road even though I only did 300 miles a day which was due to my hips. Got to SC and sat on my buddie's Corbin touring on his Fxr4 and man!, MY HIP SOCKETS SPREAD OUT and damn near killed me. The Corbin for ME was so bad I wouldn't even ride my bud's bike cause I was really concerned about being able to ride in that position; hip position just to wide for me. The only thing about my Mustang I don't like is it raised me up about an inch or inch and a half which lifted my feet to the balls of the foot when feet down rather than flat footed which is where I like them. Thinkin of sending it in and having it lowered and re- foamed for a bit softer touch to the ass and back.
  • November 22, 2009 5:01 AM PST
    I put a Sundowner on my bike and dont know how I ever rode so many miles in the stock pain in the ass one it came with!Worth the money:-)
  • December 22, 2009 7:41 AM PST
    The Mustang Wide Touring with backrest and passenger seat with wide bar pad fits me and wife great. Both of us are large and the fit is great. Drivers back rest is removable when cold weather gear is worn.  The drivers backrest is also adjustable height and fore and aft.  long seat time was no problem. 
  • January 5, 2010 11:55 AM PST
    Thanks for the seat comfort tips, the big one for me was the seat size, it took years for me to figure that one out being since I'm 5'6" n my Butt and legs were always fatiged...anyhows thanks again...
    RandyJoe...Ride Safe n Ride Respectful...
  • January 5, 2010 12:44 PM PST
    Just had my seat custom upholstered with new padding added in specific areas.  Pick it up this weekend.  We'll see how it fits.
    • 66 posts
    January 25, 2010 9:56 PM PST
    had local bloke reshape and is great
    original is wheelchair material(ride too long and id need 1 to get around)
  • April 13, 2010 11:24 AM PDT
    I went with a Corbin and love it. Much better riding posture and I have gone non stop except for gas just over 1100mi. The added back rest option is ok, but I would prefer it to be set back just a tad. I have had it since 03 and the only issue I have is the seams where my legs hit are starting to wear a bit.
  • April 13, 2010 11:35 AM PDT
    I like the stock seat on my Yamaha Vstar! A lot of my harley friends sit on it and can't believe how soft and cushy it is. I'm 5'2" and petite and like lots of cushion for my ....... you know what I mean lol
  • April 13, 2010 12:48 PM PDT
    my favorite seat is the old lepera signature seat. two piece with lots of padding and they look great too. only thing I will run on a ridged
  • April 13, 2010 1:03 PM PDT
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can put on a seat to make it more comfortable for a long ride. I'll be riding on the back of Rex's RoadKing for the trip to Kentucky and his back seat is a bit hard. My butt gets numb on short rides, so I am concerned about riding from upstate NY to Kentucky. Is there somekind of gell cover I can get to put on top of the seat? I figure a pillow might slide around if I adjust position. Not looking to put a new back seat on for me for this trip, just something to make it a bit more comfortable.
  • April 13, 2010 1:19 PM PDT
    I tried the butt buffer on my Shadow... After wo days I packed it up and sent it back. The first day I had the placebo effect and could almost swear it was great, then I ran the second day and it felt typical.

    To test it, I rode without it and I actually felt better on the stock.

    I'm sure a nice mustang seat would make it more comfortable, but I'm just a bit scheptical about spending $500 for a damn seat!!!
  • April 13, 2010 2:09 PM PDT
    I had Woodstock Leather shave my seat on my new 2010 Heritage Classic. It was the best thing I ever did. They are great people and do the best work. I am 5'1" and I can flat foot it and my legs don't feel strained at all.

    As for something that works for extra comfort get an Air Hawk seat pad they are great.
  • April 13, 2010 2:23 PM PDT
    I have Mustang seats on my VTX 1300S, much more comfortable than stock and also put me a better riding position than the stock seat, also had a Mustang seat on my 750 Shadow Spirit, realy liked the mustang seats.
  • April 13, 2010 2:28 PM PDT
    We did a 300 miler and both got Monkeybutt from the stock Heritage seats. After some web searching/education, I came up with this: Walmart sells a gel pad in automotive for $21. I cut it to fit the front seat, took the cuttings to use on the back pad, and bought a $6 black nylon laundry bag to keep us dry and hold things in place, taping underneath with duct tape.
    Had a great ride home, no monkeybutt, and ended up hot melt gluing some rubber shelf liner to the bottoms to use them again; they worked so well! Total outlay, $27.00
    [img="http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb223/quadancer/BIKE/BikeOddStuff/GelSeats.jpg" alt=""]
    Later on I'll open up the seats and put this stuff inside with some memory foam, but I need to learn more first.
    Can't seem to get any pics to work on here.

  • April 13, 2010 2:31 PM PDT
    sidetrack wrote...
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can put on a seat to make it more comfortable for a long ride. I'll be riding on the back of Rex's RoadKing for the trip to Kentucky and his back seat is a bit hard. My butt gets numb on short rides, so I am concerned about riding from upstate NY to Kentucky. Is there somekind of gell cover I can get to put on top of the seat? I figure a pillow might slide around if I adjust position. Not looking to put a new back seat on for me for this trip, just something to make it a bit more comfortable.

    The firt time we started riding around the country on a softail, I got a memory foam pillow from Walmart, shaped it to the size of my seat with a bread knife and made a simple cloth cover for it. It really did the trick. (I attached velcro on the back sides to go around the backrest.)
  • April 13, 2010 3:02 PM PDT
    I just changed from my stock seat to a new Mustang seat. Alot more passenger comfort and more back support for me. I will let you know when I get back from a ride to Wisconson.
  • April 13, 2010 3:30 PM PDT
    Marine61 wrote...
    I just changed from my stock seat to a new Mustang seat. Alot more passenger comfort and more back support for me. I will let you know when I get back from a ride to Wisconson.
    Be interested to hear what you think...my wife wants one on her bike too!